In a new interview with TVGuide.com’s Michael Ausiello, Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham expresses relief that that the show has been canceled and that talks of bringing it back for a final 13 episodes were finally hushed.

“I feel relieved—which is not without feeling mixed and thankful for the experience. I've been at this for a long time; I feel ready to move on,” Graham says. “There was a lot that went back and forth by the time the [13 episode thing] came out. I had sort of said to them a couple of months ago that I didn't see it coming back, and they had asked to just give them some time to figure something out that would make it work.”

In an effort to keep the show going for a final season, producers entertained various options, including having Graham produce a version of the show that focused mostly on TV daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel). But ultimately it came down to a matter of cutting back on Graham and Bleldel’s stringent work schedules, while still maintaining the show’s integrity—something Graham saw as impossible. “[Warner Bros. and the CW] were trying to think of everything…trying to find a way to make it work. [But] we just didn't want to work the schedule we'd been working…[and] if we're working a lesser schedule, what is the show?” she says.

Graham also talks about the creative process on the show since creator Amy Sherman Palladino—whose adept writing gave Lorelai her signature quick witty banter—left the show last year, amid a contract scuffle with network brass. “This year was strange sometimes because I had a lot less to say, and that was really weird,” she says. “For some people I'm sure that was great, but I would find myself in long scenes where I was not rattling on, and it was just really weird to me. And so I did sort of question, ‘Are we keeping this character consistent?’ And [producers] were responsive to me.”

Still, Graham would have liked Palladino to be back—if only for the swan song. “What I hoped — and this is not to take away from David Rosenthal [Palladino's successor, executive producer], who I had a really nice year with — was that she would write the finale,” she says. “But that's not the way she works. She's either there 100 percent [or not at all]. She couldn't just come in and pick up another story that she didn't lay the groundwork for and finish it. I wish she had been more involved this year, because I was playing a piece of her that is so specifically her. I missed her writing.”

As for her future on TV, Graham says she is wide open—that is, after she’s had a bit of a break and time to mourn the passing of Girls. “I would do another TV series, but not right away. I love TV. But I'm going to really just enjoy this time and make sure I'm ready to do something new,” she says. “If I had the best thing in front of me right now I don't know that I'd be able to be excited about it, 'cause I think [you have to make room] to let the other thing pass. So, yeah, I'd love to take a year and see what else I can do.”

I also think that AS-P should have come back for the finale because Lauren's right, she does give Lorelai that extra special something to the character. Season7 has been good however it is slightly lacking in the long and fast rants and Lorelai's way with words. AS-P made six amazing seasons I think that the finale should have been just as amazing as those six seasons.I'm glad that it'll take time for Lauren to move on, it will take time for us to move on too!!

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Imogen~Literati~M.M.M~Java Junkie~FoodieI'm the Old school music gal! lol Jim!Do you have a Crazy Corner Emily?! lol

I was just saying this in another thread. I would actually look forward to the season*EDIT*series finale if ASP wrote it, instead of dreading it, as I am now. Sometimes, after seeing many Lauren interviews, I think the show would be funnier if Lauren did all the writing or did total improv(although that would be ten times more work than any actor could handle).

I soooo wish there was some way the CW/WB could have begged ASP to come back for the last episode . . . but then again, they didn't know it was the last episode at that moment.

Maybe there's some hope out there that ASP can be convinced to write a GG movie (even if only a two hour made-for-tv) that explores the life of our gilmore girls a year later or something? then the movie could end with the famous last four words?

I wish, I wish, I wish.

Lauren said in another interview she imagines she'll do a single camera half hour show next. For those not in the know, this means a show like GG (without a studio audience) but only a half hour long (because, like ASP, she realized how much easier only having to work half as much would be).

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"But this is America, where we unappologetically bastardize other countries' cultures in a gross quest for moral and military supremecy." ~ Lorelai Victoria Gilmore

Guess I am just not a nice person, because I don't give a damn if ASP is involved in the finale or not. She couldn't strike a deal with the network, she threw the show into the turmoil and mess that was Season 6. Yippee. Why would I want her back?

Truthfully, I thought episodes 7.19 and 7.20 were some of the best in the show's history which tells me that DR CAN do it just as well as ASP. If that effort goes into 7.22 I'll learn to be pleased with it despite the fact that given that the eppy was written without definitive knowledge that it was the SERIES finale, it can never satisfy.

What irritates me is that if there was NEVER any hope of a season 8 because LG and AB didn't want to maintain the schedule, why ever tease the fans about it? Say no, it's not going to happen because we're tired and that's that. What was the point of negotiations if they wanted a lesser work load but admit that that would compromise the integrity of the show? Makes no sense to me.

I don't know why but I'm not at all interested in a two-hour wrap up movie or special. As much as it sucks, I'd prefer to just let it go at this point and imagine my own 'best' ending.

No matter what show shes on, I'm still gonna think of her as Lorelai Gilmore.

I used to think that too when Jon Cryer started on Two & Half Men, the first couple of times, I thought yeah that's such a Ducky thing to do (Ducky = Pretty in Pink with Molly Ringwald) , but now I don't see that at all. I guess we will all need to get used to seeing Lauren and Alexis in other roles and eventually we will grow to love their new characters.

Scott Paterson is the one who I think may have the easiest transition. He has done a few other things that have been totally opposite to Luke; like the Will & Grace episode when he played the old school friend of Grace's John Gregorio who was into women's "souls" - that was definitely not something you would see Luke doing!

I think Lauren is right when she talks about having time to grieve over the finish of the GG - it will take time and I know we will all need that time.

didn't ASP say that she was ready for the final four epi's?? she knew how she wanted this to end and she had told eeryone that. that is what makes it so much worse. she said she knew exactly what she wanted the final seen to look like and that's not gonna happen now...i wish amy had been more involved. i would have been more content with it ending this season if she had written